Seborrheic Keratosis Treatment

Seborrheic Keratosis are benign growths of the upper layers of the skin. They are one of the most common growths that we see in our practice as dermatologists in Portland. They are very common and are seen in patients in there 30’s or 40’s but may occur earlier. They occur most commonly on the face, scalp and trunk and often people have many of them. They may begin as a tan or light brown spot with a slightly rough, wart-like surface. They can grow larger and darker in time, and occasionally the surface will crumble off and then re-form. Seborrheic keratosis do not develop into skin cancers. They may be darkly colored and sometimes look like a mole. They may itch and sometimes bleed when they are scratched. Having a skin check will help clarify which of the brown growths on your skin are worrisome and which ones are benign growths. Although seborrheic keratosis do not need to be treated, they can be symptomatically annoying, irritated, and itchy. For Seborrheic Keratosis treatment, they can be removed by several different methods; the most common in Portland is freezing with liquid nitrogen. Surgical removal is possible if they are symptomatic or cosmetically unacceptable. The numbers and locations are genetically determined.